A model for estimating hearing aid coverage world-wide using historical data on hearing aid sales

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Disabling hearing loss affects a significant portion of the global population.
• Access to hearing aids remains a challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the global and regional hearing aid coverage.
• To assess the unmet need for hearing solutions among individuals with disabling hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• Utilized World Health Organization (WHO) data on disabling hearing loss prevalence.
• Incorporated Global Burden of Disease data for moderate to severe hearing loss.
• Analyzed hearing aid sales data from the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA) from 2009-2018.

Main Results:

• Worldwide hearing aid coverage is estimated at 10-11%.
• Coverage in low- to middle-income regions (85% of the world population) ranges from 1.5% to 12%.
• High-income countries show a coverage rate of 57%.

Conclusions:

• Hearing aid sales data provide a viable method for estimating coverage.
• A substantial gap exists between the need for and access to hearing aids globally.
• Less than 11% of individuals with disabling hearing loss currently use hearing aids, indicating a critical public health issue.